Coupling mechanism for trucks and the like



H. S. PUTNAM' COUPLING MECHANISM FOR TRUCKS AND THE LIKE Jan. 15 1924. 1,480,634

Filed June 22 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 no W M 8 Jan. 15 1924. I 1,480534 v H. s. PUTNAM COUPLING MECHANISM FOR TRU'GKS AND THE LIKE Filed June .22 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awuwntoz gum,

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Patented'Jan. 15, 1924. i l i V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY S. PUTNAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CONTINUOUS TRANSIT COM- I PANY, OF NEW YORK N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.-

COUPLING MECHANISM FOR TRUCKS AND THE LIKE- Application filed June 22, 1923. Serial No. 647,185.

To all whom it may concern: carries wheels 4 adapted to guide the same Be it known that I, HENRY S.,. P.UTNAM, along a track. a citizen of the United States, a resident of At its remaining or opposite end, each 118 E. 54th St., New York, in the county truck is pivotally connected to the truck next a of New York and State of New York, have preceding, by means of a king pin 5, which invented a certain new and useful Coupling passes vertically through parts connected to Mechanism for Trucks and the like, of the respective trucks, and thus permits the which the following is a specification. latter to turn in a horizontal plane as may The invention relates to trucks or cars be necessary in passing around curves.

adapted to be coupled together to make up In the present form of the invention, a 65 a train or moving platform, for example, draw bar member 6 is fastened to the cenof the type described in prior United States tral portion of the forward cross piece 2 of Patents Nos. 1,437,549 and 1,437,550, issued one truck, as by bolts 7, and the king pin to me on December 5th, 1922. 5 passes down through a hole 8, in a hori- One object of the invention is to provide zontal ledge 9 on the draw bar. 7 a coupling mechanism for trucks of the The coupling mechanism is also arranged above nature which will allow certain relato permit vertical angular movement betive movements between adjacent trucks, as tween the trucks; and in the present instance may be necessary, for example, in passing the king pin 5 passes through a hole 10 around curves or over grades and inclinain a trunnion member 11, which latter is 7 tions in the track. The invention also aims provided with hubs 12, the hubs 12 of trunto provide a coupling mechanism of the nion member 11 engaging between ears 13 above nature which will be simple and mounted on the axle 3 of the forward truck, strong in construction and which may be thus permitting the vertical rocking movereadily applied to truck structures adapted ments above mentioned, and also permitting for the above and similar purposes. the trunnion member to tilt laterally or slide Further objects and advantages of the up and down between the ears 13. invention will be in part obvious and in part It will be noted that when the trucks are specifically pointed out in the description coupled together the forward end of each 80 hereinafter contained, which, taken in contruck may be lifted from ofi the truck next 95 nection with the accompanying drawings, preceding due to the sliding engagement bediscloses a preferred embodiment of the intween trunnion member 11 and ears 13, thus vention; such embodiment, however, is to when a series of trucks are connected up to be considered merely as illustrative of its form a continuous loop platform any desired 5 principles. In the drawings: truck can be removed from the platform by Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the adjacent lifting up the forward end of the truck next trucks connected together by means of a coubehind and raising outthe truck which is depling mechanism made in accordance with sired to be replaced or repaired. The above the invention. feature is particularly important in endless 4 Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the platforms where relative longitudinal movestructure shown in Fig. 1. I ment between the trucks cannot take place Fig. 3 is a section on line'3--3 of Fig. 1 either in assembling or dis-assembling the looking in the direction of the arrows. trucks which make up the complete loop.

Fig. 4 is an enlar ed plan view of the The axes of the hub 12 and king pin 5 are 4 coupling mechanism s own in Figs. 1 and 3. preferably in the same vertical plane with The invention is illustrated as applied to the axis of rotation of the wheels 4 on the trucks, each having wheels at one end only forward truck. and adapted to be connected up into a train I prefer also to limit the amount of vertiby coupling the unwheeled end of each truck cal sliding which may take place under 50 to the wheeled end of an adjacent truck. As normal conditions between the trunnion 1 is shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and member 11 and ears 13, as by providing. a 2, each truck may be constructed in general stop bar 14, which is clamped by bolts 15 of longitudinal supporting members 1, to the ears 13, and passes over the ledge .9 which are connected together by cross pieces of the draw bar. As shown in Fig. 4, howll 2, and an axle 3 at the rear end of each truck ever, the stop bar 14 is preferably hooked at one end so that it may be swung out from its position above draw bar member 6 in coupling or uncoupling adjacent trucks.

In the present embodiment of the inven: tion the weight of the rear truck is distributed between the coupling mechanism tively to said trucks,

and a pair of rollers 16 which, as shown, are journaled on stub shafts 17 extending from the forward ends of the supports 1 on the rear truck, such rollers engaging tracks 18 mounted on the axle 3, the tracks being accurately shaped about the axis of rotation of king pin 5.

Also the point of engagement between rollers 16 and tracks 18 is in line with the horizontal axis on which trunnion member 11 may swing, whereby vertical rocking movement between the trucks does not disturb the engagement of the rollers with their tracks; in case of lateral tilting or vertical sliding movements between the trucks, one or both of the rollers 16 will be released from its track 18.

IVhile a specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be obvious that many changes may be made therein without departing from its spirit, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, adjacent trucks having wheels adapted to guide the same along a trackway, and coupling mechanism for said trucks comprising a vertical king pin pivotally engaging a part on one truck, a trunnion member pivoted on a horizontal axis to the other truck, said king pin also pivotally engaging said trunnion member.

2. In combination, adjacent trucks having wheels adapted to guide the same along a trackway, and a coupling mechanism for said trucks comprising a vertical king pin pivotally engaging parts connected respectively to said trucks, and a supporting means for one of said parts permitting angular movement thereof about a substantially horizontal axis.

3. In combination, adjacent trucks having wheels adapted to guide the same along a trackway, and a coupling mechanism for said trucks comprising a vertical king pin pivotally engaging parts connected respecand a supporting means for one of said parts permitting lateral tilting thereof.

4. In combination, adjacent trucks having wheels adapted to guide the same along a trackway, and a coupling mechanism for said trucks comprising a vertical king pin pivotally engaging parts connected respectively to said trucks. and a supporting means for one of said parts permitting angular movement thereof about a substantially horizontal axis and also permit ting lateral tilting thereof. I 1

5. In combination, adjacent trucks each of said trucks to other truck, said mechanism comprising ahaving wheels at one end only, and mechanism or coupling the remaining end of one the wheeled end of the draw bar member on one truck, a trunnion member pivotally supported on the other truck to swing on a substantially horizontal axis, and a substantially vertical king pin pivotally connected to said draw bar and trunnion members.

6. In combination, adjacent trucks each having an axle at one end only, wheels supported by said axles adapted toguide the trucks. along a trackway, and mechanism for coupling the remaining end of one of said trucks to the wheeled end of the other truck, said mechanism comprising a draw bar member on the first mentioned truck and projecting over the axle of the second mentioned truck, a trunnion member pivotally supported between ears on the second mentioned truck to permit swinging on a substantially horizontal axis and lateral tilting, and a substantially vertical king pin pivotally connected to said drawbar and trunnion members.

7. In combination, adjacent trucks each havin wheels at one end only, and mechanism or coupling the remaining end of one of said trucks to the wheeled end of the other truck, said mechanism comprising a substantially vertical king pin pivotally connected to parts on the respective trucks, said first mentioned truck also having members projecting over the second truck and carrying rollers, said second mentioned truck carrying tracks for said rollers which are arcuately shaped about the axis of the king in as a centre.

8. n combination, adjacent trucks each having an axle at one end only, wheels supported by said axles adapted to guide the trucks along a trackway, and mechanism for coupling the opposite end of one of said trucks to the wheeled end of the other truck, said mechanism comprising a draw bar member on the first mentioned truck projecting over the axle of the second mentioned truck. a substantially vertical king pin pivotally engaging said draw bar member, and a part connected to the second mentioned truck, said first mentioned truck having members disposed on opposite sides of the king pin and projecting over the axle of the second mentioned truck, rollers carried by said last mentioned members, and arcuately shaped guides carried by said axle adapted to engage said rollers.

9. In combination, adjacent trucks each having wheels at one end only, and mechanism for coupling the remaining end of one of said'trucks to the wheeled end of the other truck, said mechanism comprising a substantially vertical king pin pivoted to a, part on one truck, a trunnion member also 11. In combination, adjacent trucks having wheels at one end only, and mechanism for coupling the remaining end trucks to the wheeled end of the other truck, said mechanism comprising parts connected to the respective trucks which are disconnectible by movement of one of said trucks in vertical direction, said parts comprising trunnion members, and ears carried by forward trucks which slidably receive the trunnion members.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of June, 1923.

HENRY S. PUTNAM.

of one of said 

